If you can trace, you can create drawings
If you can trace, you can create drawings Whether you are preparing in advance to bring your ready to go drawing to one of my painting classes, or just want to do something fun on your own.... you can use the following method to create your own original image from one or more of your photos. If you plan to create an original drawing (actual tracing) from one of your photographs, you'll be way ahead of the game if you come with your ready to go drawing. Following is an overview of the process that works for both pictorial and portrait works. A general statement about copyright infringement: If someone familiar with the original artist’s work sees your work and recognizes it as from the original artist, you will need to have advance permission. I've heard different art professionals say.. oh.. just change "it" 5 times... or 10 things... or the like.... but the general statement addressing recognition is more credible. It's easy and fun to trace from your photo or maybe even a collage of photos, so go for it! The photo at the top is a composite of an 8 x 10 photo of my granddaughter Kaley on the right, with a traced acetate drawing to the left (covered in steps 1 thru 6 below, using a pictorial example) and an enlarged B&W printed copy of the tracing (as discussed in step 7 below). Click on image above for a detailed view. Review the entire process before beginning; you'll get better results. Step 1 (Photo above) First, in addition to a clear IN FOCUS photograph, you'll need the following: painters or masking tape, 1 sheet (8 1/2 x 11) clear acetate, an ultra fine point sharpie pen. Note: The acetate could be a book report cover, or as I mostly use, a piece of overhead transparency film, available at most all stationery stores. There are several kinds: write on, ink jet, and laser. Write on is least expensive and works well. 3M makes a good product, and store brands are fine.
Step 2 (Photo on left) The most important of all is a clear, in focus photograph. If you start with a snapshot, like a 4 x 6, enlarge it (on paper is fine) to an 8" x 10", as this will offer a much easier tracing job. What you see here is a snapshot my hubby took of a shoe shine boy in a plaza in Chiapas, Mexico, near the Guatemalan border. Ray is presently creating this image on canvas, using this process to get the original acetate image that he then projects and pencils right on to the canvas. You could use the same process to create an original drawing on paper that would then be placed underneath your fabric as a painting guide. However, honestly, it's time consuming, less accurate, and tricky to get right, particularly when enlarging only a wee bit. So, continue reading. Step 3 (Photo on left) Next, at a time when you are not in a big hurry, tape the 8 x 10 photo to a smooth desk level writing surface, such as the kitchen table. One piece of tape at each of the four corners is fine.
Step 4 (Photo on left) Place the piece of clear acetate over the photograph, and tape the acetate to the tabletop using 4 small pieces of tape.
Step 5 (Photo on left) In preparation for your tracing, think about the smooth continuous lines you see in a coloring book. That kind of coloring book simplicity is your goal. No sketchy, sketchy stuff. Now, using an Ultra-Fine Sharpie marker, settle down without caffeine in your system (maybe 1 small glass of wine would be helpful) and begin to trace all the important images, slowly and carefully. Step 6 (Photo on left) Your tracing will look something like this! Step 7 (Photo on left) When you have finished tracing the desired image, you can place a piece of white paper behind the clear acetate and you will now have an 8½” x 11” contour drawing that you can place on your copier and make 1 black and white paper copy to take to a printer (like Kinko's) for an enlargement. A good class project size is enlarged 205%, which prints an 18" x 24" drawing derived from your original 8½” x 11”. Most print shops can enlarge an 8½" x 11" up to 400%, resulting in a drawing about 34" x 44”. If you'd like, ask to use their proportional scale wheel to calculate something more exact. They should be able to help you with that. The resulting paper drawing will be an exact reproduction of your tracing and will be laid underneath your fabric when we are ready to paint. No marking on the fabric is necessary. The enlargement cost is fairly nominal (approximately $3 for a 205% enlargement), and you will be 3 to 4 hours ahead when class begins, making your class experience even more productive. You'll be truly glad you spent this time in preparation. NOTE about portraits: If you started with an 8” x 10” photo with the face taking up the majority of the frame, you may try enlarging by a smaller percentage (e.g., 130% to 150%), since portraits larger than life (particularly on children) are less realistic.
Here a few reference examples for enlarging: If you are starting with an 8½” x 11” image, enlarging by 130% results in an image roughly 11” x 15” and fits on an 11” x 17" sheet of paper. This percentage might be good for portrait work so long as the original facial image wasn't really small. Anything above 130% will not fully fit on an 11” x 17” sheet of paper. The following enlargement percentages for an 8½” x 11” page result in the following sizes: 140% 150% 160% 170% 180% 190% 200% 225% 250% 275% 300% 325% 350% 375% 400%
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
12” x 16” 13” x 17” 14” x 18” 14.5” x 19” 15” x 20” 16” x 21” 17” x 22” 19” x 25” 21” x 28” 24” x 31” 26” x 33” 28” x 36” 30” x 39” 32” x 42” 34” x 44”
Step 2 (Photo on left) The most important of all is a clear, in focus photograph. If you start with a snapshot, like a 4 x 6, enlarge it (on paper is fine) to an 8" x 10", as this will offer a much easier tracing job. What you see here is a snapshot my hubby took of a shoe shine boy in a plaza in Chiapas, Mexico, near the Guatemalan border. Ray is presently creating this image on canvas, using this process to get the original acetate image that he then projects and pencils right on to the canvas. You could use the same process to create an original drawing on paper that would then be placed underneath your fabric as a painting guide. However, honestly, it's time consuming, less accurate, and tricky to get right, particularly when enlarging only a wee bit. So, continue reading. Step 3 (Photo on left) Next, at a time when you are not in a big hurry, tape the 8 x 10 photo to a smooth desk level writing surface, such as the kitchen table. One piece of tape at each of the four corners is fine.
Step 4 (Photo on left) Place the piece of clear acetate over the photograph, and tape the acetate to the tabletop using 4 small pieces of tape.
Step 5 (Photo on left) In preparation for your tracing, think about the smooth continuous lines you see in a coloring book. That kind of coloring book simplicity is your goal. No sketchy, sketchy stuff. Now, using an Ultra-Fine Sharpie marker, settle down without caffeine in your system (maybe 1 small glass of wine would be helpful) and begin to trace all the important images, slowly and carefully. Step 6 (Photo on left) Your tracing will look something like this! Step 7 (Photo on left) When you have finished tracing the desired image, you can place a piece of white paper behind the clear acetate and you will now have an 8½” x 11” contour drawing that you can place on your copier and make 1 black and white paper copy to take to a printer (like Kinko's) for an enlargement. A good class project size is enlarged 205%, which prints an 18" x 24" drawing derived from your original 8½” x 11”. Most print shops can enlarge an 8½" x 11" up to 400%, resulting in a drawing about 34" x 44”. If you'd like, ask to use their proportional scale wheel to calculate something more exact. They should be able to help you with that. The resulting paper drawing will be an exact reproduction of your tracing and will be laid underneath your fabric when we are ready to paint. No marking on the fabric is necessary. The enlargement cost is fairly nominal (approximately $3 for a 205% enlargement), and you will be 3 to 4 hours ahead when class begins, making your class experience even more productive. You'll be truly glad you spent this time in preparation. NOTE about portraits: If you started with an 8” x 10” photo with the face taking up the majority of the frame, you may try enlarging by a smaller percentage (e.g., 130% to 150%), since portraits larger than life (particularly on children) are less realistic.
Here a few reference examples for enlarging: If you are starting with an 8½” x 11” image, enlarging by 130% results in an image roughly 11” x 15” and fits on an 11” x 17" sheet of paper. This percentage might be good for portrait work so long as the original facial image wasn't really small. Anything above 130% will not fully fit on an 11” x 17” sheet of paper. The following enlargement percentages for an 8½” x 11” page result in the following sizes: 140% 150% 160% 170% 180% 190% 200% 225% 250% 275% 300% 325% 350% 375% 400%
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
12” x 16” 13” x 17” 14” x 18” 14.5” x 19” 15” x 20” 16” x 21” 17” x 22” 19” x 25” 21” x 28” 24” x 31” 26” x 33” 28” x 36” 30” x 39” 32” x 42” 34” x 44”
